CVE-2021-1490
Cisco Web Security Appliance Cross-Site Scripting Vulnerability
A vulnerability in the web-based management interface of Cisco AsyncOS for Cisco Web Security Appliance (WSA) could allow an unauthenticated, remote attacker to conduct a cross-site scripting (XSS) attack against a user of the interface of an affected device. This vulnerability is due to improper validation of user-supplied input in the web-based management interface. An attacker could exploit this vulnerability by persuading a user to retrieve a crafted file that contains malicious payload and upload it to the affected device. A successful exploit could allow the attacker to execute arbitrary script code in the context of the affected interface or access sensitive, browser-based information.
Attack profile
How easy it is to exploit
- Attack vector
- Network
- Complexity
- High
- Privileges needed
- None
- User interaction
- Required
What an attacker can affect
- Confidentiality
- Low
- Integrity
- Low
- Availability
- None
Exploit likelihood
What each source reports
CVE List Score used
Cisco Web Security Appliance Cross-Site Scripting Vulnerability
A vulnerability in the web-based management interface of Cisco AsyncOS for Cisco Web Security Appliance (WSA) could allow an unauthenticated, remote attacker to conduct a cross-site scripting (XSS) attack against a user of the interface of an affected device. This vulnerability is due to improper validation of user-supplied input in the web-based management interface. An attacker could exploit this vulnerability by persuading a user to retrieve a crafted file that contains malicious payload and upload it to the affected device. A successful exploit could allow the attacker to execute arbitrary script code in the context of the affected interface or access sensitive, browser-based information.
- Record
CVE-2021-1490- CVSS 3.1
- 4.7 Medium
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:R/S:C/C:L/I:L/A:N - Weakness
- CWE-79
- Updated
- 2026-11-02
EUVDEUVD-2021-6957
A vulnerability in the web-based management interface of Cisco AsyncOS for Cisco Web Security Appliance (WSA) could allow an unauthenticated, remote attacker to conduct a cross-site scripting (XSS) attack against a user of the interface of an affected device. This vulnerability is due to improper validation of user-supplied input in the web-based management interface. An attacker could exploit this vulnerability by persuading a user to retrieve a crafted file that contains malicious payload and upload it to the affected device. A successful exploit could allow the attacker to execute arbitrary script code in the context of the affected interface or access sensitive, browser-based information.
- Record
EUVD-2021-6957- CVSS 3.1
- 4.7 Medium
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:R/S:C/C:L/I:L/A:N - Updated
- 2026-11-03
GitHub AdvisoriesGHSA-m984-c49v-3884 No score
A vulnerability in the web-based management interface of Cisco AsyncOS for Cisco Web Security...
A vulnerability in the web-based management interface of Cisco AsyncOS for Cisco Web Security Appliance (WSA) could allow an unauthenticated, remote attacker to conduct a cross-site scripting (XSS) attack against a user of the interface of an affected device. This vulnerability is due to improper validation of user-supplied input in the web-based management interface. An attacker could exploit this vulnerability by persuading a user to retrieve a crafted file that contains malicious payload and upload it to the affected device. A successful exploit could allow the attacker to execute arbitrary script code in the context of the affected interface or access sensitive, browser-based information.
- Record
GHSA-m984-c49v-3884- Weakness
- CWE-79
- Updated
- 2026-11-02
NVD
A vulnerability in the web-based management interface of Cisco AsyncOS for Cisco Web Security Appliance (WSA) could allow an unauthenticated, remote attacker to conduct a cross-site scripting (XSS) attack against a user of the interface of an affected device. This vulnerability is due to improper validation of user-supplied input in the web-based management interface. An attacker could exploit this vulnerability by persuading a user to retrieve a crafted file that contains malicious payload and upload it to the affected device. A successful exploit could allow the attacker to execute arbitrary script code in the context of the affected interface or access sensitive, browser-based information.
- Record
CVE-2021-1490- CVSS 3.1
- 4.7 Medium
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:R/S:C/C:L/I:L/A:N - CVSS 3.1
- 6.1 Medium
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:C/C:L/I:L/A:N - CVSS 2.0
- 4.3 Medium
AV:N/AC:M/Au:N/C:N/I:P/A:N - Weakness
- CWE-79
- Updated
- 2026-11-02
Affected products
History
| Recorded | Changed | Sources |
|---|---|---|
| aliases, published | EUVD | |
| first indexed | CVE List, GitHub Advisories, NVD |
Dates are when Every CVE recorded each change. Upstream dates may differ.
In short
CVE-2021-1490 is a medium vulnerability (CVSS 4.7) in Cisco Web Security Appliance (wsa), published May 6, 2021. No source lists public exploit code. EPSS puts the chance of exploitation in the next 30 days at 0.70%, the 53rd percentile. No source names a fixed version.